Erstwhile peacemaker and erstwhile warmongers: Congress & futility

[Skidmore]

I've been watching one of the innumerable military/intelligence committee hearings on CSPAN--a rebroadcast from earlier in the week. I was listening a little differently this time. I tuned out Rummy and the Generals because they repeat the same lies in different order and hope noone notices. Instead, I listened to the Senators. The warmongers and apologists for the war tended to people who fancy themselves to have some sort of expertise in the military matters either by virtue of the fact they are holding on to some faint past glory associated with their service (Warner, McCain) or those who have sat on the committee for some time (Lieberman) and just think they know alot about war. It struck me that so much of the momentum for this war derives not from will but from habit. * has successfully played on the predictable. McCain will never see anything other but glory in war because he seeks redemption constantly. Warner, who sounds like he practices the "voice" nightly, is a windbag who does little else but continue to curry favor with the military. The Dems are afraid to own the title of peacemaker and just go along because they appear disloyal. Everyone there was playing a role, even the ones who were asking the "hard questions." The hard questions, in fact, were never asked.